Tourism

Latrobe is an eight minute drive east of Devonport, along the Bass Highway, and an ideal breakfast stop for passengers disembarking the Spirit of Tasmania ferries.

Latrobe was the original port on the Mersey River, servicing the infant timber and shale industries plus the beginnings of agriculture in the district. But larger ships needed a larger draught than was available at Bells Parade, so the towns of Torquay and Formby (which later became Devonport) were established at the rivermouth.

Today, the historic township of Latrobe features a multitude of art, craft and antique shops and some unique retail outlets. It is an ideal, tranquil location for those with business in Devonport.

Port Sorell:

Port Sorell is a seaside village with a spectacular front door – the picturesque Port Sorell harbour which is a shark and ray breeding sanctuary, home to Tasmania’s biggest penguin colony and bordered by Narawntapu National Park, the best place in Tasmania to see the island’s unique wildlife in its natural surroundings.

The area had been the seaside base for the Punnilerpanner aboriginal tribe for at least 4000 years. Port Sorell was the first settlement on the North-West Coast, established for its wattle bark, lime, timber and swan feather industries in about 1820. Initially it was a busy trading port, particularly as farming developed in the surrounding hills. However, as Devonport grew as a port and as the sandy soil proved less fertile for agriculture than surrounding areas, Port Sorell declined as a working port.

Today, Port Sorell is one of northern Tasmania’s favourite seaside playgrounds and a popular summer holiday destination. Its popularity continues as it has been the fastest-growing population centre in Tasmania for several years.

The picture patchwork of farmland around Port Sorell is an agricultural hub of Tasmania, producing broadacre crops such as potatoes, onions, peas and carrots, as well as smaller scale crops such as wasabi and garlic. In addition, the area has developed new industries such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries and award-winning wine.